NBC Breaks Into Olympics To Report Paul Ryan As Romney VP News

There was a race on NBC tonight but it wasn’t simply an Olympic one. The network’s Chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd came on air at 9:22 PM PT during the XXX Summer Olympics to announce that NBC News was calling Rep. Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney’s choice of Vice-Presidential candidate for this year’s Presidential race. Coming right in the middle of NBC’s highly coveted primetime Olympic coverage, Todd along with Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell broke into a track and field relay that was on at the time. As far as can be determined, ABC, CBS and Fox did not break into the episodes of 20/20, CSI:NY and Bones that they were respectively playing.

31 Comments

Good for Chuck and Andrea… For my money they’re the best reporters working the Washington beat

Anonymous • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

If you want to take a break from politics…vote Republican…the R and R ticket. LOL

lll • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

R&R…LOL! (Romney & Ryan)

FTCS • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

This R&R is the ‘rest and relaxation’ ticket. I would never imply that ‘rock and roll’ would be a part of their equation…ever.

J • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

Wow. I’m thrilled that I know who the Republican VP nominee is on a Friday night when it’s announced Saturday morning. I’m totally “in the know” with this breaking news that is so incredibly urgent because it has such a profound impact on my life within the 10 hours before the official announcement. Maybe we should go to Tamara Hall and find out what various celebrities and random average people are tweeting regarding the news.

B- • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

*Tamron Hall

Wicked • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

Couldn’t they just scroll the info? I mean, had hard would it to scroll, “Paul Ryan is Romney’s VP choice.” That’s the problem with NBC’s coverage of the Olympics as well. NOTHING is a short, simple story. There’s always some back story of some tragedy in the athlete’s life or something, with the cheesy music and slow motion video to go with it. I’m surprised there’s not a generation of confused youngsters who don’t understand why when they go to the hospital to visit a loved one, there isn’t any dramatic music as the doctor walks out to deliver the news on the condition of the patient. And why isn’t he walking in slow motion? And why isn’t Aunt Bethany kissing her rosary beads and wailing like I saw on TV the other day? And why aren’t there announcements over the loudspeaker for doctors to report to such-and-such room every 5 seconds. I’M SO CONFUSED!!!

Alex • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

NBC News is made up of liberal political junkies, I bet they think they’re the most important division. After the Olympics are over NBC’s ratings will return to the toilet.

Have you been smoking crack? As this person noted:
NBC is owned by General Electric, a company that has profited handsomely from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. So it is no surprise that they would do this, as they were no doubt giddy with joy at the prospect of a far-right Republican being added to the ticket.

RJ • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

The networks should break into coverage for this! The Olympics < Our Country.

The Loon • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

RJ…you should only break into shows or live sporting events if the information is important for people to know AT THAT MOMENT…finding out Ryan is the VP pick Friday night or Saturday morning makes absolutely no difference

Freedom Fries • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

NBC is owned by General Electric, a company that has profited handsomely from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. So it is no surprise that they would do this, as they were no doubt giddy with joy at the prospect of a far-right Republican being added to the ticket.

lsb • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

How behind are you? NBC WAS owned by General Electric, the controlling interest is owned by Comcast NOT GE. Steve Burke (Comcast) runs NBC.

AJ • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

I might have seen it, except that I changed the channel after the first 25 minutes of Olympic coverage didn’t show a second of actual events. Some documentary on past Basketball dream teams kept going on and on… It was something that normal sports divisions would play when their scheduled golf coverage has been rained out, but NBC decided to lead off their primetime coverage with that instead of any of the current Olympics.

I get the need to do those little personal pieces to introduce obscure athletes or events to the public in order to get the audience invested, but hearing how Charles Barkley hung out in Barcelona or watching Jordan play golf doesn’t accomplish a damn thing other than making me want to punch Bob Costas for introducing this fluff from his precious little study instead of showing me some actual competition.

Gaffe • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

Romney:

…”“join me in welcoming the next president of the United States, Paul Ryan.”

I think he gets nervous. He should call Olivia Pope.

The Loon • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

Obama did the exact same thing when introducing Biden in 08…but that’s just a silly slip, when Romney does it it proves incompetence…isn’t that the talking point?

Freedom Fries – “far-right Republican” … So advocating lower taxes and lower government spending is “far right”. I take it you are in favor of more deficit spending and higher taxes and that makes you what… a moderate? You do realize that every CEO in every company would be fired if he/she operated like “moderate” Democrats which insist (like you) that it is an extreme position to believe that we shouldn’t spend more than we take in!

Bernstein • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

Thumbs up… The truth of the matter is the studios are run as cut throat, greed is good, business style as they come. Look how the studios treat union guilds like SAG and WGA… But then put on the opposite face when it comes to how the government should treat unions and budgets.

Santayana • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

…and the sucking up starts.

twist • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

I was watching when they broke in. Todd seemed shaken and grave. He was acting as if we were just nuked.

che • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

Paul Ryan is stunt casting at its weakest … he’s Sarah Palin without the boob job and that “here now this that” twang… This VP pick is a desperate hail Mary tossed by the losing side in a blow out…. No chance, Mitt. See ya.

bobbyg • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

… stunt casting? A 14 year congressman, who wrote the budget plan that energized America’s fiscal conservatives? One who outspokenly supports gay rights, to boot?

I guess maybe sensible decisions are a “stunt’ these days…

KenComplain • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

So the guy who voted against repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, voted against gay adoption rates and same sex marriage supports gay rights?

The Loon • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

who cares about social issues?? just a distraction from the only two things the federal government should worry about, national defense and the economy…social issues are for babies who like to vote with their emotions and feel good about themselves…and I’m very pro gay marriage, just think it’s an issue that has no place in politics

bobbyg • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

A. I agree with The Loon
B. Ryan voted for equal work treatment for gay couples when that was VERY unpopular with his party, and for gay marriage to be a state issue (where it actually has a chance) because he say the federal government has no business spending so much time and energy arguing what should be a state issue.

and saying he’s all about social issues is spin — the guy spends 99% of his time talking about the debt, and reforming entitlement programs. EVERYONE knows they need reforming, they can’t sustain — no one wants to DO anything about it, cause cutting programs is such a third rail thing to talk about.

ryan and romney are talking about problems we HAVE to fix.

Reader • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

The blowout is actually going the other way. Romney-Ryan will win and it won’t be close. Thankfully, Obama doesn’t stand a chance this time around.

And a break-in can be done quickly given that most of what NBC broadcast for the Olympics was already tape delayed.

Daryl • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

They should’ve saved it for primetime…

LovedAndreasHissyFit • on Aug 11, 2012 12:28 am

Favorite moment of the announcement was Andrea Mitchell’s hissy fit when someone in her ear told her to shut up so the rest of the nation could get back to the Olympic coverage. Watch the tape and you can see and hear her pout. Sorry Andrea…this isn’t Most Important Announcment Ever.